1. The Field of the Invention
Implementations of the present invention relate to hardware for mounting panels for use in decorative and/or structural architectural applications.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Some recent architectural designs have implemented synthetic, polymeric resins, which can be used as partitions, walls, décor, etc., in offices and homes. Present polymeric resin materials generally used for creating these resin panels comprise polyvinyl chloride or “PVC”; polyacrylate materials such as acrylic, and poly (methylmethacrylate) or “PMMA”; polyester materials such as poly (ethylene-co-cyclohexane 1,4-dimethanol terephthalate), or “PET”; poly (ethylene-co-cyclohexane 1,4-dimethanol terephthalate glycol) or “PETG”; glycol modified polycyclohexylenedimethlene terephthalate; or “PCTG”; as well as polycarbonate materials.
In general, resin materials such as these are now popular compared with decorative cast or laminated glass materials, since resin materials can be manufactured to be more resilient and to have a similar transparent, translucent, or colored appearance as cast or laminated glass, but with less cost. Decorative resins can also provide more flexibility, compared with glass, in terms of color, degree of texture, gauge, and impact resistance. Furthermore, decorative resins have a fairly wide utility at least in part since they can be formed to include a large variety of artistic colors, images, and can be further formed or otherwise mounted in a range of different shapes.
For example, resin materials can be formed for flat or three-dimensional (i.e., curved) formations, such as with compound curvatures. In addition, the flexibility of resin materials allows relatively flat resin panels to be mounted against a curved support structure for similar curvature effects. The resulting curved panels (whether via forming or mounting processes) can then be used in a wide range of decorative architectural applications, such as when assembling a new wall or ceiling, or when preparing a treatment thereto.
Mounting a curved resin panel as part of a curved structure application, however, can be difficult. For example, one way of imparting curvature to a set of resin panels in a structure is to create a frame, such as a wood or steel frame that is configured with curving corresponding to formations in a set of resin panels. In some cases, the manufacturer may even create a frame that, when the resin panel is positioned within the frame, causes the resin panel to flex into a particular conformation. Constructing such frames, however, can be difficult, if not prohibitively expensive for relatively complex curvatures. In particular, even slight mismatches in frame design and resin panel formation can result in stress and/or cracking of the resin panel.
Other conventional solutions for mounting resin panels to a structure (e.g., wall, ceiling, or corresponding frame) include using one or more standoffs. In particular, the conventional standoff positions a resin panel at a “standoff” position with respect to the wall, where the standoff position is a distance defined generally by a length of a portion of the standoff (i.e., the standoff barrel). To use a standoff, the manufacturer will perforate several portions of the resin panel to create mounting interfaces. The manufacturer can then insert a portion of the stand off barrel (or a portion of an opposing cap) through the perforation to secure the resin panel.
Such mounting hardware however, can stress the resin panel, particularly if the panel is flat, but is intended to be flexed or bent in some way so as to be mounted as part of a non-linear structure. This is partly since it is impractical to produce specifically-shaped mounting hardware for each possible non-linear mounting interface in the resin panel. In particular, creating special mounting hardware can be laborious, and can negatively impact the speed by which a manufacturer can process and assembly specific types of resin panel applications for customers.
As a result, the same mounting hardware tend to be used for all mounting interfaces on the resin panel. In most cases, this means that a manufacturer is using mounting hardware that may in many cases present a relatively rigid, non-linear mounting interface that does not match other non-linear portions of the resin panel. Coupled with the resin panel's weight, this mismatch in shape between the mounting hardware and the resin panel, particularly at a curved portion of the resin panel, can stress, crack, or ruin the panel, and destroy the intended aesthetic. Also, hardware to panel mismatch can distort desired panel geometry to non-conforming shapes.
Along these lines, mounting hardware such as the aforementioned also tend to create aesthetic problems in that they tend to be visible. In particular, using a standoff that mounts through a perforation of the resin panel generally means that at least a portion of the standoff will be visible after mounting the resin panel as part of a structure. Although the assembler may choose standoff hardware that has an aesthetically pleasing finish, the mounting hardware is nevertheless at least partly visible, and many designers would otherwise prefer that the mounting hardware be completely concealed. Similarly, resin panels are often used for backlit applications due to the translucent nature of the material. Unfortunately, even if concealed behind the resin panel, conventional mounting hardware tends to have a fairly pronounced shadow footprint, which is undesired as it takes away from the intended aesthetic of the resin panel.
Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages with present resin mounting hardware that can be addressed, particularly as relates to mounting curved structures.